Smartphones – Do the Advanced Features Protect your Privacy

To catch up with fast pace life, maximum people around the world are using Smart phones. Initially, these were used to just make calls on move, but with advance technology, it has changed the way we look at phones. Along with making calls, Smart phones are used for various other things like sharing photos, making video calls, checking bank details, shopping online, playing games, texting etc. It is like mini computer for your pocket. As the use of smart phones is increasing, it has become important to protect the data, which is stored in it and more importantly to maintain your privacy. We need to save our smart phones from hackers, malicious software and intruders, especially in the cases where your phone is stolen or lost. It becomes important to protect your smart phone from being misused and data being stolen as there are opportunistic people all around you looking for a chance to hack your information, misuse your personal data and steal your identity.
When we buy a smartphone, it comes with some inbuilt features and by using these advance settings, one can keep the information and data secure but along with it, we also need to keep following security features in mind:

Software updates: Every Company tries to update their software on a regular interval, so it is important to update your smart phone and install updated software whenever it is available in order to protect it from hackers.

Application installation: New exciting applications are launched on a daily basis by someone or the other, but be careful before downloading any application as most of them ask for permissions to have the access to your files, pictures, etc. There are high chances of data being misused in such cases. So it is advisable to read the reviews of application before installing them in your smart phone.

Security Application: When we install more than one application in our phone, it becomes very hard to understand and overview which application is granted with what kind of permission that might hinder internet security. But there are quite a few good security applications available for smart phones that can help in such situations like McAfee. These security tools can alert you against applications which might contain virus.

Passcodes: Passcodes are a very common technique used now days to protect your phone from being misused. Passcodes can be 4 to 6-digit passwords, fingerprints, face recognition or any pattern. Although this method is not 100% secure, but it is a simplerway to protect your phone from unauthorized access. Best way to make optimum use of this feature is keeping your phone locked when not using it. Tracking phone application: Few mobile companies also provide features like tracking your phone, erasing data if phone is stolen, locking phone if many unsuccessful attempts are made while entering passcode and so on. All these methods help in protecting the data from falling in wrong hands. Individual application lock: As discussed above, Passcode is not the best security technique, so it is a good idea to use passcode or lock for every single application, which contain personal information, or important data, which will act like a second layer of security.

Tracking phone application: Few mobile companies also provide features like tracking your phone, erasing data if phone is stolen, locking phone if many unsuccessful attempts are made while entering passcode and so on. All these methods help in protecting the data from falling in wrong hands.

Individual application lock: As discussed above, Passcode is not the best security technique, so it is a good idea to use passcode or lock for every single application, which contain personal information, or important data, which will act like a second layer of security.